[Mithalwen]

Yes they have only them selves to blame. It isn't mistitling ... a book is one of the few things you can judge pretty well before buying. It isn't sold in a sealed wrapper. You can browse through it before buying. Amazon has review which detail what is in it for online buyers. These are not cheap novels such as the ones that I might chuck in the shopping trolley along with groceries. If people buy a book without looking at it or researching it then they can hardly claim to be ripped off. An idiot not a sucker - And anyone who buys the whole lot without doing so has more money than sense. The complete set costs £100 - £120, I am certainly not in the financial league to spend that much on books unless I know I want them.

Presumably the publishers may have assumed a modicum of intelligence from potential publishers of such works. They cannot be blamed if people cannot be bothered to read even the back cover

I bought the first volumes of HoMe when I was a teenager and they represented serious expenditure. Some I have read more than others but I am glad I have them all, just as I am glad I have "The Road goes ever on" even though I can't play the piano.